Four candidates run for 4th Congressional District

With incumbent Democrat Peter DeFazio expecting another win, three other candidates are vying for the Oregon 4th District Congressional office.

Recent Lane political science AAOT graduate Rikkilea Ishmael said, “I think now is the best time to achieve world peace. We need diversity in government, we need more transparency and we need to lift the people out of poverty. My choices will be based on who is more compassionate, scientific, intelligent, open-minded and who isn’t afraid to solve problems with peace.”

The candidates:

Rep. Peter DeFazio (Democrat)

The introduction of revitalizing financial avenues in higher education by Rep. DeFazio in a new act proposed to congress recently can easily sway young voters to choose this candidate to continue holding the 4th district seat.

From a Sep. 29, 2016 press release on the congressman’s website:

This week Rep. Peter DeFazio introduced the Helping Improve Grants for Higher Education & Repayment of Expensive Debt (Higher Education) Act, a bill that will make college more affordable for students nationwide.

“A college education should open doors for our nation’s young people — not weigh them down with crippling debt,” DeFazio’s website said. “My legislation will ensure that recent graduates can focus on finding jobs and starting their careers without the added pressure of sky-high monthly loan payments and rapidly-accruing interest.”

Art Robinson (Republican)

In a phone interview Robinson said, “The reason I am running, the same reason I have ran before, to bring common sense constitutional government back to Washington. It’s a form of insanity what these guys are doing. Bankrupting our nation. Many of our institutions are in trouble. We’ve got a pile of career politicians back there that are doing what they think is in their self interests, and it doesn’t seem to be in the interests of the people of district 4.”

In his plan to appeal to new voters this year Robinson said, “I have two things I want to communicate. One is the positive things I want to do. And the other is try to reverse the negative my opponents are communicating at the same time and to communicate my message over the top of that noise.”

Robinson quoted his friend Harrison Schmitt, a former US Senator and one of the last astronauts to walk on the moon, “The career politicians never wanted to solve a problem. They just want to live in the problem.”

Gil Guthrie (Libertarian)

Someone who describes himself as “thoroughly educated in Our Western Tradition, from a political family, been paying attention for 60 years, and thought to stand forward with considered opinions and reasoned conclusions,” Libertarian candidate Gil Guthrie brings an “appeal to the better angels of our nature, not our worst compulsions” attitude to this election.

On vote411’s website Guthrie said, “Through non-alignment with the two ruling parties their objective is less problem-solving than advantaging their donors. In our divisive congress you want to be wooed with ‘flowers n chocolates’ at every turn; the price of our input and your assent is that which best advantages you, the People of the 4th District.”

Mike Beilstein (Pacific Green)

An issue that may concern younger voters more everyday is that of climate change. Beilstein said this on onvote411.org, “Addressing climate change is the first priority of Congress. I agree with Bill McKibben that without pricing carbon there is no way to avert the environmental disasters toward which cheap fossil fuels propel us. I will sponsor legislation proposed by Citizens’ Climate Lobby for a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend. A fee on fossil fuel usage allows both consumers and producers to make rational choices toward appropriate sustainable energy use.”

Beilstein also said, “I have strong commitments to the core Green values of environmental stewardship, democratic participation, nonviolence and human rights. However, without sacrificing these values, I will always be attentive to the need of getting the work of government done. As a “third party” representative I will be free of the obligation of maintaining the partisan power bases of the duopoly, and therefore free to pursue the public good.”

Holding a term of two years, candidates must be U.S. citizen and registered voter, at least 25 years old, U.S. citizen for seven years and inhabitant of state at the time of election. Once elected and sworn into office, the representative will earn a yearly salary of $174,000 — plus benefits.

Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees. The number of representatives with full voting rights is 435, a number set by Public Law 62-5 on August 8, 1911, and in effect since 1913. The number of representatives per state is proportionate to population.

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